Stephan: This is a completely cynical but very important geopolitical trend. The Chinese having gone through the bloodbath of communism, have recreated the Mandarin system of scholar bureaucrats which provided a stable government in China for 1,300 years, from 605 to 1905 -- the oldest continuous form of government in human history.
They look at the United States particularly during the Trump era and believe that democracy is essentially unworkable in the long run precisely because when an incompetent authoritarian crook gets into office everything comes unglued, as it did. They see most members of Congress -- I know this because I was told it by high ranking Chinese -- as ill-equipped poorly educated incompetents, which many are.
When the Chinese look at what they have done by recreating the Mandarin system, after the end of the ill-fated Great Leap Forward to the present day, essentially transforming China from a developing nation to a world leader in less than 50 years they think their system is the way to go. They see Russia as a failing state run by thuggish oligarchs, which only matters because of its nuclear weapons, but as a useful tool to use against America, hence their interest in this alliance. China is playing a long game that neither the American media nor most of those in Congress really comprehend.
Moscow and Beijing have declared their opposition to further enlargement of NATO and to the formation of other regional security alliances. Credit: Li Tao / Xinhua / Getty
In their matching mauve ties, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping last week declared a “new era” in the global order and, at least in the short term, endorsed their respective territorial ambitions in Ukraine and Taiwan. The world’s two most powerful autocrats unveiled a sweeping long-term agreement that also challenges the United States as a global power, NATO as a cornerstone of international security, and liberal democracy as a model for the world. “Friendship between the two States has no limits,” they vowed in the communiqué, released after the two leaders met on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics. “There are no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation.”
Agreements between Moscow and Beijing, including the Treaty of Friendship of 2001, have traditionally been laden with lofty, if vague, rhetoric that faded into forgotten history. But the new and detailed five-thousand-word agreement is more […]
It looks like “Cold War Number Three” is starting. The USA will no longer be the only “World Police” force out there. I surely hope this does not escalate into “Militarism” because that will give the “Military Industrial Complex” here to want more money. That will mean more taxes, hopefully for the rich, not the poor and middle classes. We may loose our hegemony in the world.
Lori
on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 9:00 am
No wonder other countries think democracy is unworkable in ours. tRumps criminal solicitation to commit election fraud; intentional interference with performance of election duties; conspiracy to commit election fraud; criminal solicitation; and state RICO violations, tax fraud, and a bevy of other crimes too many to mention.
tRumps close association with the Proud Boys and Qanon, also openly welcomes in communist ideals.
Albus Eddie
on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 5:20 am
It is up to us as a culture to prove that our system is superior. We are failing badly and this alliance should come as no surprise. We have been continuously at war both overt and covert for generations. For Russia and China this is survival. Our “leaders” have no concept of the long game. So corrupt are they they that jail should be their destination.
Kenneth Heck
on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 5:41 am
There seems to be some similarity between the rise of China and the rise of Japan some 80 – 90 years ago. Both manufacture(d) inferior products and both pursue(d) an agressive foreign policy. Japan’s western friend was Germany and China’s western friend is Russia. Will China lead to WW III as Japan led to WWII? Many prophecies say yes, and predict an invasion by China on the west coast of the USA.
It looks like “Cold War Number Three” is starting. The USA will no longer be the only “World Police” force out there. I surely hope this does not escalate into “Militarism” because that will give the “Military Industrial Complex” here to want more money. That will mean more taxes, hopefully for the rich, not the poor and middle classes. We may loose our hegemony in the world.
No wonder other countries think democracy is unworkable in ours. tRumps criminal solicitation to commit election fraud; intentional interference with performance of election duties; conspiracy to commit election fraud; criminal solicitation; and state RICO violations, tax fraud, and a bevy of other crimes too many to mention.
tRumps close association with the Proud Boys and Qanon, also openly welcomes in communist ideals.
It is up to us as a culture to prove that our system is superior. We are failing badly and this alliance should come as no surprise. We have been continuously at war both overt and covert for generations. For Russia and China this is survival. Our “leaders” have no concept of the long game. So corrupt are they they that jail should be their destination.
There seems to be some similarity between the rise of China and the rise of Japan some 80 – 90 years ago. Both manufacture(d) inferior products and both pursue(d) an agressive foreign policy. Japan’s western friend was Germany and China’s western friend is Russia. Will China lead to WW III as Japan led to WWII? Many prophecies say yes, and predict an invasion by China on the west coast of the USA.